Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

On the 29th day of the twelfth month of the fifteenth year of the Jiazhao reign, which was New Year

Xuanfu Town is located in the southeast, and Donggang Town is in the north. Winters are long and harsh, with heavy snow falling for days on end.

Early in the morning, the Sun family's charcoal shop in the north of the town was closed, having already been shut for two days and would not reopen until after the New Year.

As the north wind outside grew stronger, one of the shop doors was opened, and a young man with a sturdy build and ordinary appearance stepped out.

He stretched slightly in the biting wind, as if he had just gotten out of bed, and unconsciously looked towards the north of the town, his eyes flashing with a sharp light.

That was the location of the military granary in the valley. A grain convoy from the south had come the day before yesterday, but no more grain convoys from the south had come yesterday...

Chen's Cloth Shop, located next to the charcoal shop, opened as usual early in the morning, even on New Year's Eve, but it was deserted.

Seeing the young man leave, he smiled and said, "Boss Sun, today is New Year's Eve, and there's no business in the shop. I'll go home for the New Year after noon."

I see you're single too, and you'll have to stay at your shop for the New Year. Someone gave me two pounds of beef; how about we have a little drink together?

Mr. Sun laughed and said, "I happen to have a jug of good wine in my possession. I'll go get it right away."

Manager Chen set up a small table in the shop and steamed and roasted the beef on the stove. Soon, an enticing aroma of meat filled the air.

Boss Sun came over carrying a wine jug. Outside, snow was falling heavily, but inside the shop, the stove was burning brightly, and steam was rising.

The two shared the beef, clinked glasses, and chatted about everyday life, which was quite enjoyable.

Just as we were enjoying our drinks, we heard the sound of carriages and horses crunching through the snow on the street. It was a continuous sound, and it seemed to be quite a large-scale operation.

Boss Sun looked back and saw a group of soldiers, all in full armor, approaching from the south of the street. There were about two hundred of them.

Dozens of large carts followed one after another, stretching for a long distance, their wheels rolling and horses' hooves clattering, heading towards the north of the town.

As Boss Sun looked at the group of people, his eyes lit up slightly, and his expression became more serious.

Chen, the shopkeeper of the cloth shop next to him, said, "Boss Sun, this looks like a grain requisition team from the north."

There have been many grain transport teams from the south for the past eight or nine days, but this grain collection convoy is quite rare; it seems to be the first one in the past few days.

Mr. Sun picked up his glass of wine, drank it all in one gulp, and casually said, "The grain transport teams from the south have been coming these past few days, so the Zhenbei granary must be full."

Naturally, border town grain convoys would come to collect the grain. These dozens of large carts could transport several thousand shi (a unit of dry measure) of grain, enough for a military camp at a pass to celebrate the New Year.

These soldiers are destined for a life of hard work; they don't even have a moment's rest during New Year's Eve..."

Mr. Chen listened carefully to his detailed explanation and realized he was quite familiar with military matters, but as a mere cloth shop owner, he naturally didn't think much of it.

As Mr. Sun spoke, his gaze seemed to casually survey the scene, but his expression was one of seriousness.

He saw two men riding side by side at the front of the two teams. One of them was riding a military horse. He was tall and strong, with a straight back and a calm demeanor.

He was wearing a uniform commonly seen in the military, with a sleeveless sheepskin coat over it, and a standard-issue goose-feather saber slung at his waist, which was slightly different from the sabers worn by ordinary soldiers.

He recalled his cousin saying that wearing this steel-plated goose-feather saber meant one was at least a platoon leader in the army.

This young military officer had entered the town to collect grain and bought charcoal from the shop a dozen days ago, leaving a deep impression on Boss Sun.

The young officer riding alongside him was a man in his early twenties, wearing a heavy fur coat, a fur hat, and a fur scarf around his neck.

He was wrapped up tightly, curled up on the horse, not wanting to let out a single breath of heat.

Compared to the young captain's resolute composure and dignified demeanor, he exuded a timid and cunning air, creating a stark contrast between the two.

……

The young man, who was huddled up, pushed his leather hat up a little and said, "We've finally arrived at Donggang Town. This awful weather is unbearable."

Zhigui, I am the treasurer and I know best that the grain stored in the city's granary is enough to last until the fifteenth of the first lunar month. I originally thought we wouldn't need to leave the city before the new year.

Why the sudden rush to collect grain? They were still on the road on New Year's Eve, causing all that trouble. I was hoping to have a peaceful and happy New Year, but now that's all ruined."

Guo Zhigui smiled slightly and said, "Second Master, you may not know this, but two days ago the Ministry of War sent an urgent report from 800 li away, saying that the court and the Mongols have reached a peace agreement."

However, Anda Khan of the Tuman tribe was cunning by nature and always changed his mind about war and peace. The Ministry of War ordered all border towns to strengthen their defenses and not to let their guard down because the two states had agreed to make peace.

Commander Liang was a renowned general of his time who had repeatedly repelled the invasions of the Tuman tribe. He was familiar with Anda Khan's military tactics and dared not relax his vigilance in the slightest.

He calculated that the granary in Donggang Town would be full in the next two days, and issued orders to the military commanders of various passes in Liaodong, instructing each city to expedite the collection of grain before the end of the year.

Today we are here to collect grain, and tomorrow the grain convoy from Yonglan Pass will also be here, as will the grain convoys from the other passes in Liaodong.

The war between the Great Zhou and the remnants of the Mongols is still uncertain, so it's always better to be prepared. As long as we soldiers have provisions, we have nothing to fear.

Upon hearing this, Jia Lian's eyes flickered, as if he had thought of something, and he smiled and said, "Now that you mention it, I know the reason."

Our commander is a truly shrewd man. The granary in Donggang Town was full just before New Year's Eve. As long as each border town has stored grain, they will have to make sure they can celebrate the New Year.

Unless it's a last resort, who would bother to cause trouble on New Year's Eve? The commander-in-chief is seizing the opportunity to fill the granaries in Liaodong Town first.

If we wait until around the fifteenth of the lunar month, when everyone comes to collect their grain, the granaries will be half full and will have to be closed. By then, we probably won't be able to get any in time.

Guo Zhigui laughed and said, "Second Master, you are indeed worthy of being the treasurer. I really didn't expect you to have such a meticulous mind. It makes perfect sense."

I once heard Third Master say that the key to victory in warfare lies not in the battle itself, but in the preparation before the battle. The principle is that supplies must be prepared before the troops move.

It seems that the commander-in-chief's decision to continue supplying provisions before the new year was a precautionary measure, just in case.

As for how we celebrate the New Year, that doesn't matter. My second uncle and I are both alone far from home, with no relatives around. As long as we're safe and sound, every day is New Year's Eve.

Jia Lian laughed and said, "What you said makes sense. We are all lonely ghosts, and there are no women waiting for us to have a warm bed. It's like celebrating the New Year wherever we are."

Look at the state of this town. On New Year's Eve, there's no life at all. Everyone has to go home for the New Year, and it's not very interesting to stay here for too long.

"In my opinion, we should collect the grain and load it onto the carts today, then set off before sunset to return to the city as soon as possible."

Guo Zhigui said, "Second Master is absolutely right. That's what I meant too. We have military duties to attend to, so it's always better to come early and return early."

Jia Lian patted his waist and laughed, "I just received a silver note from your household a few days ago, so I'm a little short on cash. I'll go buy some fresh wine and dishes later."

When we reach our lodgings tonight, let's brothers have a good drink; it'll be quite enjoyable, like celebrating the New Year ourselves.

Guo Zhigui laughed and said, "Second Master really knows how to manage money. I'll listen to you no matter what."

……

Inside Chen's Cloth Shop, Boss Sun and Manager Chen were drinking merrily, finishing every last drop of their fine wine and nearly all of their two pounds of beef, thoroughly enjoying themselves.

Mr. Sun returned to the charcoal shop somewhat drunk. Just as he opened the door, a young man came from across the street. He had a somewhat refined appearance but looked travel-worn.

He said, "Shopkeeper, the last batch of charcoal has been delivered, and the customer is very satisfied. We're really closing now."

Mr. Sun's eyes lit up, and he laughed, "That's great! Come in and talk to me."

The two entered the charcoal shop, closed the door, and the shopkeeper, Mr. Sun, asked, "How is the situation in the north?"

The young man said, "The message has been delivered to the main camp. The Khan is very satisfied. The main camp retreated ten li four days ago, and yesterday it moved another five li westward."

They maintained a horizontal movement along the Xuanda line without closing the distance, so it did not arouse the vigilance of the border troops.

With the Lunar New Year's Eve approaching and the peace talks between the two states coming to an end, the patrol frequency of scouts along the Xuanda line has decreased.

Yaozikou was a remote pass with rugged terrain and few people, a no-man's-land.

Scout teams from Xuanfu Town and Lintun Camp in Jizhou Town regularly patrol this area.

But this place is desolate and barren. During the New Year, people's hearts are restless, and even the most careful plans can have oversights.

The Sun family, having long since figured out the patterns in their covert operations, were naturally able to accomplish their goals discreetly.

The young man took out a secret letter, which was covered with red lacquer and stamped with an official seal.

He said, "The secret letter from the main camp was to be personally sealed by Dali, and then orders were sent to all places that the mission should return according to the itinerary."

Manager Sun opened the letter and quickly scanned it, his expression cold and serious, before handing the letter back to the young man.

He said coldly, "Go around delivering secret letters and instruct them to act according to the plan."

Today is New Year's Eve, and these soldiers can't stand the loneliness; it'll definitely be lively by then..."

……

Donggang Town, in the valley to the north, is the granary of the Jiubian Army.

Jia Lian and Guo Zhigui stood at the gate of the granary, checking the identity badges, grain collection documents, and border town seals with the granary officials.

Once all the formalities were completed, dozens of large carts from the Liaodong grain convoy lined up and entered the grain storage camp.

At this moment, an official walked out of the camp. Jia Lian's eyes lit up, and he asked, "Is that Chen Erge from the Duke of Qi's mansion?"

The official was Chen Ruichang, the second grandson of Chen Yi, Duke of Qi, who was in charge of transporting grain for the Five Armies Commandery.

He missed the time to return to the capital for the New Year because he was transporting grain to Donggang Town. Meanwhile, he was having an affair with a beautiful prostitute in the town, who was his former lover.

He was reluctant to leave the allure of this foreign land, and since the official duties were already in effect, he decided to stay in Donggang Town for a few more days, indulging in his pleasures before returning to the capital. Back then, he and Jia Lian were both sons of noble families and had frequent private interactions, mostly as drinking buddies.

Jia Lian was exiled to Liaodong. Although he did not suffer hardship or abuse, he endured long periods of wind, frost, and cold, which changed his appearance and demeanor. Chen Ruichang could hardly recognize him anymore.

But after Jia Lian reminded him, he looked at him carefully for a moment and then recognized Jia Lian.

He said, "Isn't this Brother Lian from the Rongguo Mansion? What are you doing here?"

Jia Lian said, "To my shame, I was exiled to Liaodong and have now been assigned to be the treasurer of Yonglan Pass, and have come here with the army to collect military rations."

I never expected to run into Brother Chen. It's truly a rare and precious encounter with an old friend in a foreign land.

The news of Jia Lian's affair spread like wildfire throughout the capital, and no aristocratic family was unaware of it. Chen Ruichang knew that the man before him was no longer the heir of the Rongguo Mansion, but a hopeless convict and exile.

His relationship with Jia Lian was merely one of drinking and feasting; there was no real affection between them, so he naturally despised him.

Just thinking about Jia Lian's brother, Jia Cong, who was not only a famous figure throughout the land but also the emperor's most trusted minister, with dazzling brilliance and a promising future.

Although Jia Lian is now a useless person, out of consideration for his brother, we will at least give him some face so that we can have something to talk about and get to know each other better when we meet his brother in the future.

Furthermore, the fact that a convict like him could become the treasurer must be due to the influence of his brother.

Jia Cong is a man of great renown in the capital, a man of extraordinary talent. Even thousands of miles away, he still has connections and influence, and is truly not to be underestimated.

He laughed and said, "Brother Lian, it's been so long, I almost didn't recognize you. It's fate that we meet in this strange place today."

As the saying goes, a chance encounter is worse than an invitation. Tonight, all the military officers from the grain storage camp will gather at the city's restaurants for a feast to celebrate the New Year.

"Brother Lian, why don't you come over and have a few drinks together to reminisce about our old friendship?"

Upon hearing this, Jia Lian was slightly taken aback, then smiled and said, "Thank you for the invitation, Brother Chen, but I am under house arrest and have to follow military duties, so I dare not delay."

The grain convoy is returning tonight, and I must go back with them. I can only regretfully disappoint Brother Chen's kind invitation.

Chen Ruichang was delighted with Jia Lian's words; if Jia Lian agreed to attend the banquet, it would be a real headache.

Seeing their own communes with bandits and convicts in the army was a great disgrace to the nobles.

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Chen Ruichang quickly bid farewell to Jia Lian and turned to leave.

Guo Zhigui said, "Second Master, since we are old friends from a distinguished family, why not accept the invitation to the banquet? A few cups of wine won't delay our return journey today."

Jia Lian sighed, “The Shi Gui brothers are simple and honest by nature. They don’t understand the true nature of the scions of aristocratic families. They always associate with those of similar backgrounds, and they are cold and indifferent to the ways of the world. They are all opportunistic at heart.”

Now that I am a criminal with a ruined future, he has long looked down on me. If it weren't for my third brother's sake, he wouldn't be so polite.

"If I actually took it all seriously and went with him to the military officer's banquet, it would just be a stupid and annoying thing to do. It's much better to drink and eat meat with you and me, brothers."

Guo Zhigui laughed and said, "Second Master sees things very clearly. Since these people are not sincere, we should just ignore them. I will just have a drink with you."

……

Jia Lian smiled and said, "Shi Gui, do you still remember the New Year celebrations at your residence?"

Guo Zhigui laughed and said, "Of course I remember. The New Year was really lively. Lanterns were hung inside and out and kept burning all night. There were carriages and horses coming and going day and night, and all the visitors were from wealthy and powerful families."

The neighbors on Ningrong Street often stood by the roadside watching the spectacle, all envying the grandeur of such a wealthy family.

Jia Lian laughed and said, "That's not all. The inner courtyard is even more lively than the outer courtyard. After the New Year's Eve ancestral worship, there will be a banquet, opera performances, and fireworks. People won't sleep all night."

Guo Zhigui said, "At that time, Third Master was still studying at the academy. Every year on the 28th of the twelfth lunar month, Second Master would have me hitch up the carriage and go to the academy to pick Third Master up and take him home."

Third Master somehow made a lot of money. During the New Year, he would send a lot of pork, mutton, fish and meat to my mother to buy household items and make new clothes.

My mother always spoke highly of Third Master, saying that he was better than her own son.

My mother also said that Third Master had a noble destiny and was destined for greatness and wealth. I didn't believe it at first, but it turned out to be true.

Jia Lian laughed and said, "Your mother has a good eye. Don't tell me you don't believe me; even I, as his older brother, never paid attention to him growing up and never realized he would be so capable..."

……

On New Year's Eve of the fifteenth year of the Jiazhao reign, at the Rongguo Mansion.

Early that morning, before dawn, the Rongguo Mansion was already brightly lit, with people coming and going in the covered walkways, bustling with activity.

The Jia Clan Ancestral Hall, located on the west side, opened its doors early, cleaned inside and out, placed offerings, and worshipped the ancestral tablets.

They dusted the altar, hung up the portrait of the deceased, burned incense and candles, and invited eminent monks and nuns, a total of seventeen or eighteen people, to surround the ancestral tablet, chanting scriptures and mantras, and praying for good fortune.

As dawn broke, those with official titles, including Grandmother Jia, dressed in court robes according to their rank, rode in large sedan chairs carried by eight men, and led the others into the palace to offer their congratulations.

Jia Zheng, Jia Cong, and other officials in the court all accompanied the entourage to the court to pay their respects. After noon, they performed the ceremony, received the banquet, and returned to their residences.

Grandmother Jia led the female relatives through the side door of the ancestral hall and into the rear hall where they were accompanied by the sacrificial offerings. Madam Xing, Madam Wang, Wang Xifeng, Li Wan, Yingchun, Tanchun, and others were already waiting.

In the main hall of the ancestral hall, Jia Cong presided over the ceremony, Jia Zheng accompanied him, Bao Yu offered wine, Jia Huan offered silk, Jia Lan held incense, and Jia Chang and Jia Ling spread out the prayer carpet and guarded the incense burner.

On the central offering table, besides various meat and vegetarian offerings, incense, candles, and fresh flowers, a bright yellow brocade bag was placed on a large red tray, containing silver rewards from the palace.

The master of ceremonies loudly announced: "Bestowing upon the late Duke Rongguo a reward of one thousand taels of silver, and bestowing upon the late Earl Weiyuan's late wife, Lady Du, a fifth-rank lady, a reward of eight hundred taels of silver."

National ceremony and family filial piety, blessings lasting long, music played, kowtows, to express gratitude for the Emperor's grace..."

The master of ceremonies' voice was loud and clear, resonating in the main hall of the ancestral hall, echoing like a resounding bell, and clearly audible to all the disciples outside the hall.

A sense of astonishment arose in everyone's hearts. They looked at each other from side to side, and there was a slight commotion among the kneeling crowd. However, the ancestral worship ceremony was solemn, and no one dared to whisper to each other.

It's no surprise that the Duke of Rongguo receives a spring reward of silver from the palace; it's simply a long-standing tradition.

According to custom, the eldest son of the main branch, the former first-class general Jia She, would have been given a reward of silver every three years, but this time there was none.

This was already quite unexpected, but to bestow such favor upon a woman who had died more than ten years ago and whose status was low before being posthumously honored, and with such a high honor of eight hundred taels of silver.

This was unprecedented not only in the Jia family, but also in other noble and high-ranking families.

Of course, among the descendants of each branch of the family, there were also some who were quite shrewd and insightful, and they noticed that in the master of ceremonies' blessing speech, the late Duke Rongguo and the late Earl Weiyuan's late mother were listed together.

The deeper meaning is not only that a mother's status rises with her son's, but also that the East and West mansions are on equal footing. In addition, Jia Cong is the head of both mansions, making the difference in status between the East and West immediately apparent.

Jia Zheng, who was accompanying the sacrificial ceremony in the main hall, could naturally weigh the importance of the matter and couldn't help but feel a sense of regret and admiration for the ideal son.

As the master of ceremonies chanted the prayers, everyone performed three kowtows and nine prostrations before the ancestral tablets on the incense table and the bright yellow offering bag on the altar.

Baoyu knelt down with the crowd, feeling a sense of mockery and contempt. He couldn't help but sigh, "Girls are like water, but men are like mud."

The ancestral tablets on this altar have witnessed the rise and fall of countless officials and businessmen. Let's not even talk about them. Even if there were once beautiful and talented women, they all eventually became ignorant and foolish, which is truly regrettable.

A large group of people kneeling and bowing in such a vain manner, yet unaware of the true meaning of innocence in this world, is truly laughable and pointless. It shows how many people in the world are deceived, which is both pitiful and lamentable...

Baoyu was lost in thought, even a little smug, and his kneeling motion was a few beats slower, making him stand out in the crowd.

It wasn't until Jia Zheng noticed and glared at him fiercely that Baoyu's knees went weak, all his feelings vanished, and he hurriedly kowtowed to the ancestral tablet...

……

The high-pitched prayers of the master of ceremonies naturally reached the incense hall in the back, where the women of the Jia family had different feelings and emotions.

Grandmother Jia looked extremely embarrassed, her face full of resentment and indignation.

The lowly woman she hated most back then not only had her name listed in the ancestral hall but also received special honors in the palace, even ranking alongside the Duke. It was simply outrageous.

But this was an imperial decree, which no one could disobey. The son born to this woman also became the head of the Jia family. Even though Grandmother Jia was upset, she could only do nothing about it.

As she chanted the prayers, she kowtowed before the ancestral tablet, reminding herself that she was worshipping the tablet of her deceased husband, the Duke, and that it had nothing to do with this woman.

When Madam Xing heard the master of ceremonies' congratulatory speech, she remained expressionless, as if she had lost all hope. She knelt and kowtowed along with Grandmother Jia, like a puppet on a string.

Madam Wang's kneeling movements appeared stiff and rigid, her face was colder than the memorial tablet, and she cursed in her heart like she was chanting a sutra: This lowly woman does not deserve such dignity!
But Li Wan, kneeling behind Madam Wang, looked excited, her eyes shining, her heart filled with longing.

Although the East Mansion's wife died young and came from a less than noble background, she gave birth to a son of exceptional talent, making her the luckiest woman in the world and the envy of many.

Wang Xifeng was not very literate, and her talents were all within the inner quarters; she didn't possess the profound wisdom that men outside the household might have.

She didn't care about Du Jinniang's social status; all she knew was that this was the title of the eldest son's wife, and if she could gain face in front of others, it would be a great honor for the eldest son's family, and she would also feel proud.

Therefore, Sister Feng kowtowed quite readily, unlike Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang who were filled with emotion.

As for the sisters Yingchun, Tanchun, and Xichun, they felt honored to be associated with them and bowed and kowtowed with great sincerity.

After all the sacrificial rites were completed, Jia Cong, as the chief officiant, opened the bright yellow gift bag and poured the bestowed silver into a tray for offering.

The bright yellow gift bag was then placed into the cauldron and burned, and a cup of sacrificial wine was poured over it, thus concluding the New Year's Eve family ritual.

At this moment, deafening firecrackers rang out outside the ancestral hall. Grandmother Jia and other female relatives came out from the side gate and returned to the inner courtyard in sedan chairs.

The male members of each household either returned home to prepare for the New Year celebrations or went to the outer courtyard's side hall to drink tea and chat. Jia Cong and Jia Zheng greeted them briefly before they went about their business.

As dusk fell, the Jia family's New Year's Eve banquet was about to begin. The whole family would be joyful, staying up all night to welcome the new year. The fifteenth year of Jia Zhao's reign was drawing to a close... (End of this chapter)